. . . At dinner he spoke some of
going to the camp--Miss Westfall's camp. . . . I--I really don't know.
. . . I wish I did but I don't."

The lightning blazed at the window and left it black. Beyond in the
lane, a car with glaring headlights was rolling rapidly toward the
gateway. Aunt Agatha hung up with an aggrieved sniff.

Catching the reflection of the headlights she hurried to the window.

"Carl! Carl!" she called through the noise of wind and thunder.

The car came to a halt with a grinding shudder of brakes.

"Yes?" said Carl patiently. "What is it, Aunt Agatha?"

"Dick Sherrill phoned," said his aunt plaintively. "I thought you'd
gone. He wanted you to come up and play bridge. Oh, Carl, I--I do
wish you wouldn't motor about in a thunder shower. I once knew a
man--such a nice, quiet fellow too--and very domestic in his
habits--but he would ramble about and the lightning tore his collar off
and printed a picture of a tree on his spine. Think of that!"

Carl laughed. He was raincoated and hatless.

"An arboreal spine!" said he, rolling on. "Lord, Aunt Agatha, that was
tough! Moral--don't be domestic!"

"Carl!" quavered his aunt tearfully.

Again, throbbing like a giant heart in the darkness, the car halted.
Carl tossed his hair back from his forehead with a smothered groan, but
said nothing. He was always kinder and less impatient to Aunt Agatha
in a careless way than Diane.

"Will you take Diane an extra raincoat and rubbers?" appealed Aunt
Agatha pathetically. "Like as not the pockets of the other are full of
bugs and things."

"Aunt Agatha," grumbled Carl kindly, "why fuss so? Diane's equipped
with nerve and grit and independence enough to look out for herself."

Aunt Agatha sniffed and closed the window.

"I shan't worry!" she said flatly. "I shan't do it. If Carl comes
home with a tree on his spine, it's his own concern. Why _I_ should
have to endure all this, however, I can't for the life of me see. I've
one consolation anyway. A good part of my life's over. Death will be
a welcome relief after what _I've_ gone through!"

Shrugging as the window closed Carl drove on rapidly down the driveway.

It pleased him to ride madly with the wind and storm. The gale, laden
with dust and grit, bit and stung and tore rudely at his coat and hair.
The great lamps of the car flashed brilliantly ahead, revealing the
wind-beaten grasses by the wayside. Somewhere back in his mind ther